(Council Bluffs, IA) – Officials with the Pottawattamie Community Foundation, today (Wednesday), announced a name change and expansion of its mission. Established in 2008, the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation is becoming the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, to better reflects the Foundation’s mission to build community through giving while being a leader in donor-centric philanthropy.

“The growth of the Community Foundation reflects the awesome and inspiring support of our community,” said Tony Tauke, Community Foundation for Western Iowa Board Chair. “We have seen a substantial increase in the size of gifts and in the number of donors. Individual donor-advised and special needs funds have mushroomed beyond Pottawattamie County borders. This expansion is reflected in the new addition to our once little office which was completed due to the generous contribution and strong support of the Lakin Foundation. This seedling organization started nearly fifteen years ago and has grown into a fruitful tree of philanthropy with many branches, relationships, and donors that encompass more than just Pottawattamie County. We as a Board see the potential for growing larger and creating more impact over the coming years.” (Additional information can be found HERE)

In its most recent annual report published in April, the Community Foundation shared the incredible growth and impact that donors and fund holders have created in southwest Iowa. Last year, investors awarded 269 grants totaling an astounding $1.9 million dollars to a variety of nonprofit organizations in focus areas such as community betterment, education, human services, and arts & culture. This is an 18.79% increase in grant awards from 2020 ($532,504). The investor granting, coupled with the Foundation’s grant awards, was $2.2 Million.

Additionally, the annual impact report revealed that the Community Foundation significantly increased its total assets to $52,363,015 by the end of December, a 15.8% increase from 2021 ($44,078,011), and nearly $40 million more from its total assets in 2017 ($12,722,156).

In late November, the Community Foundation moved back into a newly renovated and expanded building at 536 E Broadway due to generous funding support from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation. A gift of $556,000 helped the Community Foundation add a total of 1,110 square feet – complete with four additional office spaces for future staff capacity needs, new ADA compliant restrooms, a staff kitchenette, and a large conference room to host board and committee meetings.

The Community Foundation invites you to attend its ribbon cutting and building dedication on Monday, May 16, from 8:00-am to 10:00-am at 536 E Broadway in Council Bluffs. The event will celebrate the new name announcement, as well as the beautiful building renovation and addition generously funded by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation. The Community Foundation will officially dedicate the building as the Florence M. and Charles E. Lakin Center for Community Giving.

(Radio Iowa) – A district court judge has ruled one of the Fairfield teens accused of killing a high school Spanish teacher will not have his case moved to juvenile court. Seventeen-year-old Jeremy Goodale is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of 66-year-old Nohema Graber and will stand accused in an adult courtroom starting August 23rd. Willard Miller faces the same charges. Both were 16 at the time of the November 2nd murder.

Goodale and Willard Miller both sought waivers of their case to juvenile court. Judge Shawn Showers states in his ruling that there are no reasonable prospects for rehabilitating Goodale in juvenile court given the magnitude of the crime described in the charging documents.

A ruling on Miller’s request to be tried in juvenile court could come later this week.

(Radio Iowa) – One of the companies proposing to build a carbon pipeline through Iowa has announced it has raised more than a billion dollars for its project. According to a news release from Summit Carbon Solutions, the company has secured 300 million dollars from a private equity firm called T-P-G Rise Climate and that completes the fundraising for its pipeline. In a written statement, the executive chairman of the investment group said the global fight against climate change requires an all-of-the-above approach to decarbonization.

Summit plans to build a pipeline to ship carbon captured at Midwest ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota.

(Radio Iowa) – Fire departments from four northwest Iowa cities responded to the fire in downtown Alton on Tuesday. According to Kevin Langel, Alton’s 2nd Assistant Fire Chief, the fire started at the rear of The Yard Bar and Grill’s exterior around 3:45 a.m. Fire fighters were on the scene for about two hours putting the blaze out. One firefighter needed medical attention and has since recovered. An E-M-T suffered minor injuries, but they did not require medical attention.

Damage estimates to the structure are unknown at this time and a neighboring residential building received heat, smoke and water damage. Langel suspects an electrical malfunction may have started the fire, but an official cause has not yet been determined.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report deputies investigated a theft May 5th at the Southwest Valley Middle School, in Villisca. As a result of the investigation, a 14-year-old male was arrested today (May 11) for Theft 5^th Degree. The juvenile was released to a parent.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday), reports two arrests took place Tuesday. 32-year-old Robert James Hooks, of Omaha, was arrested at the Douglas County, NE., Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Hooks was being held without bond. And, 37-year-old Tyanna Karee Monrreal-Robles, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Sarpy County, NE., Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear, on two original counts – Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $10,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Rotary Club is looking to help non-profit organizations which have a project needing funding support. Rotarian Dolly Bergmann says you can send your information to Haley Kickland (haleykickland@gmail.com), Dolly Bergmann (bsktcola@gmail.com), or Ruth Sears (ruth.sears@edwardjones.com). In your e-mails, you’ll need to provide the following information: a description of the event or activity; how it can benefit the community; estimated cost of the project, any other funding you have, or will be getting, for the project; and explain if local businesses can be involved.

If you have questions, please contact any of the aforementioned individuals.

(Radio Iowa) – A group in northern Iowa is raising concerns about a proposed wind farm. The Lost Island Wind Project would place 40 to 50 wind turbines in parts of northern and western Palo Alto County. Stephanie Parsons, a member of the “Don’t Lose Lost Island” group, says there are wetlands and a wildlife preserve in the area. “They’re proposing to place these towers directly in the flight path of already endangered birds and threatened bat species,” she says.

The wind farm is a project of Vestas North America, a subsidiary of a Danish company that is the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines. Parsons’ group is hosting a meeting about the project tonight at 7 p.m. in Graettinger. “A lot of the community members didn’t know that there was a new project in the pipeline,” Parson says. “We actually found out because Vestas has actually reached out to ask key farmers, with contracts to start the process, and so that’s what sort of got this whole ball rolling about two months ago.”

Lost Island is the name of a township in Palo Alto County and the county’s conservation board operates the Lost Island Wetland Prairie Nature Center north of Ruthven. The website created for the Lost Island Wind Farm says the company is “determined to listen to all perspectives” and believes the Lost Island Wind Project “can benefit everyone who calls Palo Alto County, Iowa, home.”

According to the American Clean Energy Association, there were about 5900 wind turbines operating in Iowa by the end of 2020 and 5200 people work in Iowa’s wind energy industry.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors this (Wednesday) morning,met in a session that took less than 30-minutes. The Board approved a liquor license renewal for the Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center, and then acknowledged receipt of a wind turbine complaint letter.

Board Co-Chair Jerry Walker read the letter from Greenfield Paul Ehm…

In other business, the Board approved Co-Chair Walker signing the LakeView Drive Culvert Project. He also signed a Resolution confirming a public hearing would be held May 18^th at 9:30-a.m., with regard to the vacating of a dead-end section of 305^th lane, west of Dover Avenue, or about 3-miles southeast of Bridgewater.

Local farmer Kevin Tanner recently bought a parcel of land along the road and the east half-mile was opened back up. He now owns both side of the road, and has requested the County vacate the west end of the road so he can use it to get to his pasture land.